The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Inter slip up with home draw against Genoa Posted: 22 Dec 2012 07:03 AM PST  MILAN, Dec 22 — Inter Milan missed the chance to close the gap on Serie A leaders Juventus on Saturday when they could only manage a 1-1 home draw with Genoa. Esteban Cambiasso's equaliser for the hosts five minutes from time cancelled out Ciro Immobile's superb individual goal as second-placed Inter nudged up to 35 points, nine behind Juve after the champions won 3-1 against Cagliari on Friday. Genoa remain second bottom on 14 points. Inter's Rodrigo Palacio twice went close early in the second half, first blazing over after finding himself one-on-one with Genoa keeper Sebastien Frey and then forcing a fine save from the Frenchman with a powerful left-foot strike. A stout Genoa defence easily kept Inter at bay and Immobile hit them with what looked like a fatal sucker punch with 13 minutes left. His fine individual goal saw him ghost past defender Andrea Ranocchia and slip a smart finish under keeper Samir Handanovic. Cambiasso brought Andrea Stramaccioni's side back into the game with a thumping header but despite late pressure, Inter could not grab the winner and now look increasingly unlikely to take the title from their rivals. Napoli will be looking to get their season back on track after having two points deducted in midweek when they visit Siena at 1400 GMT while fellow Champions League hopefuls Lazio and Fiorentina are also both away, at Sampdoria and Palermo respectively. The weekend's big game takes place at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome (1945 GMT) where flamboyant AS Roma take on a resurgent AC Milan led by red-hot striker Stephan El Shaarawy. — Reuters |
| Arteta penalty seals win for Arsenal at Wigan Posted: 22 Dec 2012 06:56 AM PST  Arsenal's Arteta celebrates scoring against Wigan Athletic during their English Premier League soccer match in Wigan. — Reuters pic The Spaniard dispatched his spot kick past Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi after 60 minutes following Theo Walcott's tumble in the penalty area under a clumsy challenge from Jean Beausejour. Arsenal's third consecutive Premier League victory moved them above Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea onto 30 points from 18 games although Tottenham can move back above their north London rivals if they beat Stoke City later. Chelsea face Aston Villa on Sunday. Wigan, third from bottom, had the best chance of a poor first half when Arouna Kone sprinted through on goal but dragged a left-footed shot wide. Arsenal were more lively after the break and Walcott, who is still to sign a new contract for the club, was denied by Al-Habsi after he was picked out by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Wigan's response was impressive and they forced Arsenal into some desperate defending on a rain-sodden pitch. Kone had another chance but was denied by Arsenal's Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny and Dave Jones thumped a shot narrowly wide of the upright with Szczesny rooted to the spot. Arsenal held out, however, to put some pressure on their rivals for a top-four place. Later on Saturday, Manchester City can close the gap with leaders Manchester United to three points when they host bottom club Reading. — Reuters |
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